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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 23/00554/B Applicant : Estates Director, Department Of Education Proposal : Replacement of existing mobile classroom with new mobile classroom containing two classrooms and toilet facilities Site Address : Willaston Primary School School Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 6RD

Planning Officer: Mr Toby Cowell Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 10.08.2023 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposed mobile classrooms are considered to be acceptable by meeting the needs of the school by providing modern replacement teaching facilities, without detriment to the visual amenity of the locality, the amenity of surrounding residential properties or the safety and convenience of the local highway network. The proposals are deemed compliant with General Policy 2 and Transport Policies 4 and 7 of the Strategic Plan (2016).

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the following drawings and documents;

Existing location and site plans - 01 Proposed site plan - 02 Proposed floorplans and elevations - 25399A Supporting information statement

All received 03.05.23

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None. __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site relates to Willaston Primary School and its associated curtilage. The site of the proposed development is located in the south-eastern corner of the application site within relative proximity to the School Road streetscene to the south.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Permission is sought for the removal of the existing mobile classroom dating from the late 1980s and siting of a replacement modular building comprised of a galvanised steel frame clad externally with grey plastisol steel for the external walls and fascia, with a flat roof finished with black EPDM waterproofing membrane. The proposals include centrally located double entrance doors on the front (west) elevation with 2 no. double windows either side, together with a total of 4 no. corresponding windows on the rear (east) elevation. Fire doors would be located on the north and south elevations, together with 2 no. air source heat pumps. The building would be complete with a steps leading up to the front entrance with corresponding ramp access. The structure would comprise dimensions of 10m (depth) by 15.2m (width, extending to a total height of 3.9m.

2.2 The proposed structure would be centrally accessed and facilitate two classrooms, with a cloakroom area and toilets at the end of the cloakroom/central lobby area. Each classroom would also include a rear fire escape and a store room. It has been noted from the submitted support letter that the structure will be manufactured off site, with its purpose to provide replacement classrooms as the present building is deemed to be unfit for purpose and a poor environment for teaching. The statement notes that replacement mobile classrooms were previously granted in 2019, however these were not carried out as the mobile classroom scheduled to be used was instead used elsewhere.

2.3 The statement notes that the replacement building represents a slight reduction in footprint relative to the existing but with similar teaching spaces. The proposals would not facilitate an increase in student numbers for the school.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The site benefits from an extensive planning history, which include various alterations and extensions to the school, the majority of which are not considered to be of significant material relevance to the current application. It is noteworthy however that the original mobile classroom to be replaced was permitted in 1988 (PA 88/00523/B0, with a further mobile classroom permitted in 1995 to the west (PA 95/00937/B). Permission was more recently granted to replace the mobile classroom the subject of this application in 2019 (PA 19/00628/B), however this was not implemented. Such proposals were broadly similar to those presented in this application, although not identical.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned for 'Civic, Cultural or Other use' in the Area Plan for the East within Douglas. The site is not within a Conservation Area.

4.2 General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan (2016) requires development, amongst other things, to be of a suitable design so as to respect the site and its surroundings, whilst not adversely affecting the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape, providing safe and convenient access for all highway uses and adequate parking.

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4.3 Transport Policy 4 requires new and existing highways which serve any new development to be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner.

4.4 Transport Policy 7 requires that all development is served by appropriate parking provision in accordance with the Department's current standards.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Douglas Borough Council - no objection. (25.05.23)

5.2 Highways Services - Development would have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. (12.05.23)

5.3 Manx Utilities Authority - no response received at the time of writing.

6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The proposed mobile classroom would replace an existing similar structure which has been in situ for in excess of 30 years, and is notably ageing and in a relatively poor state. The proposed classroom would be of similar proportions to the existing in terms of scale and footprint, and of a similar design. Likewise, whilst the new building would be clearly visible in the context of the School Road streetscene, this is a pre-existing situation and would result in a visual improvement over the existing ageing classroom block. Consequently, the proposals are considered to be acceptable from a design and visual impact perspective.

6.2 The proposals would not facilitate additional pupils attending the school and, given they would replace an existing teaching block in the same location, would not result in a material impact upon the amenities of surrounding residential properties, particularly those to the south on School Road. No concerns have been raised by Highway Services, with the proposals not considered to result in a material impact on highway safety or parking requirements for the school.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 The proposed mobile classrooms are considered to be acceptable by meeting the needs of the school by providing modern replacement teaching facilities, without detriment to the visual amenities of the locality, the amenities of surrounding residential properties or the safety and convenience of the local highway network. The proposals are deemed compliant with General Policy 2 and Transport Policies 4 and 7 of the Strategic Plan (2016), and therefore recommended for approval.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2

The decision maker must determine:

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o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status. __

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 11.08.2023

Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON

Jason Singleton

Principal Planner

Customer note

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